Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Grapes have replaced poblano peppers at what was once a farm

A former poblano pepper producer who replaced the crop with grapes now produces award-winning wines that have proven to be much more profitable.

Ricardo Vega made the decision a decade ago to turn his Guanajuato farm into a vineyard. Now Cuna de Tierra is one of the state’s most productive.

“The ranch was practically all poblano peppers, but the vegetable is really complicated to market if you don’t have control of the whole distribution channel. And the price of the chile hasn’t changed in the last 30 years,” said Vega.

“So we looked for a product that we could store, and wine has the advantage of increasing in quality over time; it’s also something we always liked.”

After celebrating the vineyard’s ninth grape harvest last weekend, Vega said they have been increasing production in recent years “but now we want to limit ourselves, because if we increase the volume too much, we could lose quality.”

Ricardo Vega of Cuna de Tierra winery in Guanajuato.
Ricardo Vega of Cuna de Tierra winery in Guanajuato.

Cuna de Tierra, located in Dolores Hidalgo, has 30 hectares of vines in production, which this year will yield 120 tonnes of grapes from which 120,000 bottles of wine will be produced.

Vega remembers that in the beginning they barely produced two barrels, and now that number has risen to over 100. In the early harvests, they invited 300 guests to celebrate. This year they sold 1,400 tickets two months before the celebration.

He also points out they have won around 50 international prizes with a number of labels.

“This year we won seven awards at the Decanter World Wine Awards, including one gold. We’re really happy with the winery,” he said.

Cuna de Tierra’s sales, which in 2018 totaled around 20 million pesos (US $100,000), have grown at an annual rate of 20%, and Vega expects this year to be no different.

He plans to increase the production of white wine, which is currently in fashion.

The winery has 30 hectares of grapes in production.
The winery has 30 hectares of grapes in production.

“It’s the variety that is now seeing greater demand. There’s a trend toward whites and rosés,” he said.

The winery has made international inroads not only in competitions, but also in commerce. It currently produces 5,000 bottles for the United States market, but Vega is waiting for more demand for his wines to attempt to enter other international markets.

According to Vega, who is also president of Guanajuato’s Viniculturists Association, 30 wineries have dedicated over 300 hectares to growing grapes in the state, a dozen of which are open to the public. Together they produce around 350,000 liters of wine per year.

Cuna de Tierra is currently getting ready for its Live Vineyard Music Experience, a music and wine festival that will host disco singer Gloria Gaynor and other musicians on October 12.

Source: El Financiero (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
The project turns Highway 58 into a four-lane highway and links it with Federal Highway 57 and 85, both of which travel from Mexico City to the U.S. border.

Nuevo León inaugurates first phase of US $1.2B Interserrana Highway

0
Nuevo León Governor Samuel García said the highway modernization project will streamline freight transportation and expedite travel to the northern border, while also cutting travel times from southern Nuevo León to Monterrey.
U.S. visa

More than 50 Morena-affiliated politicians have had their US visas revoked

5
More than 50 politicians from the ruling Morena party have had their visas revoked, along with dozens of officials from other political parties, according to an insider tapped by Reuters.
David Cohen

Lawyer for high-profile defendants shot dead outside of Mexico City courthouse

2
David Cohen Sacal, a lawyer with the firm Cohen Medina Chávez and former defender of Cruz Azul president "Billy" Álvarez, was shot at point-blank range outside the Ciudad Judicial court complex in the Doctores neighborhood of Mexico City on Monday.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity